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Plaid MP Liz Saville Roberts not bidding for assembly seat

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Liz Saville Roberts
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Liz Saville Roberts says she wants to remain an MP

Plaid Cymru's parliamentary leader will not stand for a seat at the next Welsh Assembly elections in 2021.

Liz Saville Roberts had indicated she could put her name forward as the party's Dwyfor Meirionnydd candidate.

But she has now announced she would not seek the candidacy, because she wanted to "continue to represent the constituency" at Westminster.

The process for selecting Plaid Cymru's candidate there has begun with hustings taking place next month.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd is currently represented in the Senedd by former Plaid leader Lord Elis-Thomas, who left the party to become an independent AM in October 2016.

He is now the deputy minister for tourism, culture and sport in the Welsh Government.

Ms Saville Roberts said she was "extremely proud to represent Dwyfor Meirionnydd in Parliament" and would "continue to do so for as long as my constituents allow".

Ms Saville Roberts became Plaid Cymru's first female MP at the 2015 general election and heads a Westminster group of four.